'Yggdrasil The World Tree in Norse Mythology' by Agnes Olson

Twilight of the Gods

Storybook Project: Introduction

     Hello, web-lurkers.  My name is Sarah, and I'm currently a student at the University of Oklahoma.  I'm currently enrolled in an online course over World Literature.  This semester, I've been studying what are called "frametales."  A frametale is a storytelling technique that uses stories within other stories.  The author creates a setting or situation in which the characters find a reason to tell new stories.  The result is a collection of short stories tied together by the original setting, called the "frame."  Some famous examples of this technique that I've read are the "Arabian Nights" stories and Jesus's parables from the Bible.

     A semester-long project of the class has been to retell  famous myths, fairytales, folklore, or legends using a frametale approach of our own creation.  The theme, storytelling technique, and stories used in our collections was left up to the us students.

Storybook Topic:  Norse Mythology

     I have always loved Norse mythology, and for my storybook project I decided to retell the myths leading to the Ragnarok, the battle which results in the fall of the Norse gods and the later rebirth of the world. Most modern Norse mythology translations and myth retellings are based on the Icelandic Prose Edda and Poetic Edda, which were written down from oral traditions around 1200 A.D. The modern translations and adaptations were mostly written in the early 1900's, including the book I'm using as my primary source, "Norse Stories Retold from the Eddas," by Hamilton Wright Mabie (1901). Mabie's adaptation of the Norse myths are very well-written and easy to understand, and the myths read much like a children's storybook would read. I highly recommend his writing, for the original Prose and Poetic Eddas can be difficult to understand and do not always flow in a chronological timeline.

     My favorite part of the Eddas are the stories involving the last days of the Norse gods and goddesses. The gods and goddesses, known as Aesir in the mythology, are very different in some ways from the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. There is a very passionate, human side to their personalities, and so the reader can really identify with the emotions they have in the mythology. The myths preceding Ragnarok flow easily from one to the next in a way that's very similar to my beloved fantasy books. The many settings, races, and character relationships rival those of modern authors of fantasy, and in fact many of them, including J.R.R. Tolkien, were heavily influenced by the many worlds and monsters of the Norse myths.

My Frametale Technique

     The "storyteller" in my Norse Mythology adaptations is the mother goddess and wife of Odin, Frigg.  The climactic and tragic battle of Ragnarok is over, and she is trying to come to terms with the deaths of those they lost.  With the help of Odin's two pet ravens, who hold all his memories and thoughts of the days leading up to the battle, she and her handmaiden Fulla reminisce about all that's happened to them.  The five stories I've included for my collection are presented like flashbacks in a movie, spawned from Frigg and the raven's memories.

     "The Binding of Fenrir"   introduces Frigg and Fulla, the frame-tellers, and many key figures of Norse Mythology.  Loki, the trouble-maker whose actions ultimately spawn Ragnarok, has had three monster children that are out of control.  Through prophecy, the gods know that the monstrous demon-wolf, Fenrir, will wreak havoc in the final battle.  By taking drastic action, maybe they can stop Ragnarok and change their destinies...

     In "Balder's Fall  (parts one and two)"  Loki continues to cause trouble for the Aesir gods.  Balder, a beloved member of the gods, has troubling prophetic dreams about himself and the coming battle.  Tragedy soon strikes, helped in no small part by mischievious Loki.

    In "Loki's Punishment" , Loki has to answer for his treachery in the previous story.  His actions have started the countdown to Ragnarok, and the gods will put up with his presence no longer.

     The prophesied final battle "Ragnarok"   arrives.  Odin leads the gods in a final stand against Loki and the monsters of the Nine Worlds in an apocalyptic fight.  The fates of the gods and worlds are decided.

     The frametale story of Frigg and Fulla concludes in an epilogue to the five tales.  After suffering such loss and tragedy, Frigg and Fulla will find an unexpected and happy ending.

IMPORTANT: 

     Norse mythology, like the mythology of other civilizations, is massive collection of gods and goddesses, monsters, mythical locations, and complicated family relationships. Before reading my storybook, please read this Norse mythology FAQ and summary. It will hopefully explain the who, what, and where of the Norse universe.  If you become confused, the links found in the stories will direct you to the FAQ, where hopefully your questions will be answered.

The story begins...

     "Mistress, what troubles you?" a timid voice asked.

     I wiped a stray tear from my cheek and continued petting Odin's ravens.  "Just...remembering.  With some visual help from these two."

     I heard a rustle of robe as Fulla, my handmaiden and best friend, folded herself by my side.  The marble floor was cold in one of the few unscathed rooms of Valhalla.  The other survivors of the fighting had let me have this room, one of Odin's quarters, to myself.

     Fulla looked at the Hugin and Munin curiously.  "What do you mean, visual help?  I thought Odin's ravens were just pets."

     Despite everything, I smiled.  "Oh, they are more than pets.  They were Odin's memory and thought keepers, as well as his eyes to everything in the Nine Worlds.  I was sitting here, brooding as I know I shouldn't, and these fellows landed in my lap.  When I started petting them, I saw flashes of what Odin saw in the last days.  Some details I...I'd rather not have seen . . .     

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